Worried about effects proposed mountain bike track will have on wildlife

There is a World class mountain bike track not too far from us set up by the Forestry Commision in the Dalby Forest.This is an area full of wild life including scarce raptors and breeding Nightjars,the track does not seem to have had much adverse effect on the bird life but it is a very large forest and this may mean there is space for both humans and wildlife.If the RSPB is commenting on the proposal they must have concerns and it will be worth backing any campaign.

I can see both sides of this

I would rather a planned track otherwise the cyclists have the idea they can ride wherever they want. I would be more concerned if it was a motor bike track.

newmiller dam where I go has a sign saying no bikes on the lake path, but it does not stop them.

But how can you argue with someone with a child, its the idiots who don't give a dam and don't know how to use a bell

  Ray

Ray we used to have a problem with rogue off road cyclists in the Dales area when we used to do Open Access patrols.Most would listen to any advice given but you always get some who know think they know better,unfortunately these are the ones you remember.As you say an organised track would be preferable to a free for all.It could be that the woods at Plymbridge are not big enough for both off road cycling and wildlife although if they are talking of a 15k course it must be a fair size.

I think the problem, apart from a serious lack of consultation by the NT at the outset, is these are Ancient Woodlands and cover only 200 acres. There is Forestry Commission Land on the east of the river Plym (Cann Woods) that already has mountain bike tracks through it. We also have cuycle route N27 that goes through the whole of Plymbridge along the old railway track and that is fantastic. Why are they trying toi squeeze in a 15 KM track and cafe?

As a newby I am not sure of the rules for these posts but am able to send links to various info if anyone is interested.  

We do already get motor bikes in some parts and I think this would just make it a motor cross site. Please keep your comments coming. i will ask a couple of friends if I can upload their photos to this site as well.

Thanks    

I volunteered at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, an area of woodland owned by the Forestry Commission. They had put in various walking tracks as well as mountain biking tracks, but seemed to be having lots of problems with the cyclists. Most were perfectly fine and would stick to the track, but they did get quite a few people leaving the track, forming new pathways through the woodland, as well as getting cyclists coming into the area at night, disturbing the deer and other wildlife in the woodland. When I was there they were planning to change the route to make it longer, as the cyclists would just go around and around it about 5 or 6 times each, as it wasn't quite long enough, which was destroying the habitat quite a bit. I don't know if this plan worked, as I don't live nearby any more, but it sounds like the cyclists already have quite a few tracks in the area, but maybe this is the issue? Maybe the tracks they currently have are causing damage to the habitat? But as said above, a planned out track is better than people cycling all over the place, and I'm sure it will avoid areas where the Nightjars etc are breeding.

If you're worried about it, I'd try and take it up with the National Trust, or your local council or something to see if anything can be done about it.

As Sarah says it is as usual the few rogues that cause the problems,those few who think rules do not apply to them,only other people.You get this in any form of pastime and unless there is 24 hour control there may be no way of stopping it.

Thanks Sara & Seaman. It is Forestry Commission  land that the existing track is on but unusally the plans are for a completely new track in the National Trust owned land. I wish they were just extending the existing track instead of ploughing into an Ancient and peaceful Woodland. Many have put in objections to the proposals but NT seem to have a bit of a closed door approach saying it is up to the planners to decide.  

The NT can come across a bit heavy handed at times,we have a couple of NT sites near us and sometimes wildlife is bottom of the list way below visitor figures.Their hearts seem to be in the right place but they have strange ways of approaching things,maybe because of committees with mixed interests

The NT website states “There is no better way of appreciating the immense variety of places cared for by the NT than by exploring on foot....Walking has always been, and will continue to be, the main type of access provided by the NT... the need for solitude....the landscapes we love need to be protected ....they will always be at risk from development..." They certainly do have a strange way of even approaching and following their own written principles.